Can we say crazy???

Most days I consider myself a pretty sane person, other than when the kids are driving me crazy. So I am trying to figure out why I would agree to babysit five kids for three weeks on top of my own. Yep. Five kids. Three weeks. This is the first big "oh crap" of the deployment. My friend Mary has a nanny for her kids. Said nanny is on leave for the next three weeks with her husband. She had arranged for a substitute sitter to watch the kids while she was gone. A little more than a week ago she found out that her substitute is now going to Substitute for the school district instead. Which left poor Amy high and dry and Mary pulling her hair out. I am staying home with the kids right now so even though I couldn't go to Mary's house, she could bring her kids to mine. I have the little ones all day and her older two will be here in the afternoon when they are done with school.

I am really kind of annoyed at the girl though, because I used to substitute teach, in fact I still get a phone call almost every day asking if I want to sub. I know how it works. You set your own schedule, you work the days and hours that you want, you don't have to accept a job on a day if your kids are sick or some such. So I know this girl could have put off subbing for three weeks to honor her previous obligation. Like I said, annoying.

But anyway, it actually hasn't been so bad. Mary and I have been here together from the very beginning. We met at our first FRG meeting and have been friends ever since. She had two kids when she got here, I had two kids when we got here. I had Steel, four months later she had Amanda. I had Reilly, four months later she had Jack. Then she blew it by having Aaron two months before I had Cole. LOL I really am glad that I could help her out. I know how frantic I would be if I didn't have a babysitter. The kids have been really good so far. Steel and Reilly are enjoying having someone to play with. Cole is not liking it so much. He had his first "fight" over a toy this morning. He seemed kind of bewildered that Aaron would take his toy right out of his hands.

(Look at the size of these guys. Cole is almost two months younger!)

I told Mary that we'd be having three weeks of vegging in front of the TV so I can keep them all occupied where I can see them. Although we did clean out a room upstairs for them to play in--I mean there is NOTHING in the room so they can play to their hearts content without destroying anything. Gotta run, six little ones are wanting lunch. Ummmm, crazy?